Animals on Campus and Accommodations
Animals on Baylor Campus and Accommodations
The only animals that students are allowed to have access to on campus are in the form of Emotional Support Animals (ESA) and Service Animals. Both ESAs and Service Animals must adhere to the Agreement and Responsibilities of Owners for Animals on Campus as outlined by Baylor University and OALA. It is important to know the process, policies, and differences regarding both ESA and Service Animals.
Emotional Support Animals
Emotional Support Animals (ESA) are often used as part of a medical treatment plan. ESAs are not considered service animals under the ADA. They are approved as a housing accommodation only, in adherence with the Fair Housing Act (FHA). ESAs provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. As such, ESAs are to be utilized and limited to a student’s housing area and cannot be in classrooms, dining halls, library, and other public or communal spaces.
In order to have access to an ESA, students must register with OALA by completing an accommodation application and housing request form. Additionally, students must agree to both the Agreement and Responsibilities of Owners for Animals on Campus and the guidelines for ESAs that can be found within the OALA ESA Agreement. Since ESAs serve as one coping strategy and only a single part of a more extensive medical treatment plan, ESAs must be renewed and requested through a housing request form each academic year with updated documentation citing the ongoing need for the animal. To apply for an ESA, please refer to our housing accommodation page to make a formal housing request.
Service Animals
In contrast to ESAs, Service Dogs, or in limited circumstances, miniature horses, are protected under the ADA. No other animals other than a dog or miniature horse can function as a service animal. Titles II and III of the ADA specify that a service animal must be a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. No licensing or certifying entity exists to legitimize the use of a service animal. Rather, the need of the individual with a disability and the specific function the service animal is trained to perform legitimize the use under federal and state laws. As such, given federal protections and guidelines, OALA does not have any process or authority regarding service animals unlike ESAs.
An individual with a disability who uses a service animal may bring the animal to the same areas on campus where the individual may go, including classrooms. A service animal is an extension of the individual with a disability. By having access to a service dog, this means an animal: 1. Is required because of a disability 2. It has been trained to perform specific tasks or work related to the disabling condition. As such, OALA, along with all Baylor community members, can only ask the individual with the disability two things: 1. Whether the Service Animal is needed because of a disability and 2. What work or task the Service Animal has been trained to perform. If a service animal will be present in the residential halls, it must be registered with the Office of Campus Living and Learning and students must agree to the Agreement and Responsibilities of Owners for Animals on Campus.
Animals in Housing
Students with access to an any animal, including an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) or Service Animal, must go through a safety check done by the Office of Campus Living and Learning to ensure the animal does not pose a health or safety risk to other community members. This process is the last step in the ESA process noted above. For students with Service Animals, they must register their dog (or miniature pony if applicable) with the Office of Campus and Living and Learning through their housing application or as soon as possible to ensure this safety check can be completed to avoid any potential health impacts (allergies, phobias, etc.) to community members as well as to allow sufficient time to address any logistical needs that would support the animal in performing their tasks or work. The Office of Campus Living and Learning retains the right to relocate the owner and approved Service Animal or Emotional Support Animal as necessary on a case-by-case basis to ensure the health and safety of other students.
Animals in Academic Spaces
Emotional Support Animals are a housing accommodation and are to be utilized and limited to a student’s housing area and cannot be in classrooms, dining halls, library, and other public or communal spaces. Guidelines for ESAs can be found within our ESA Agreement that students must agree and adhere to. Bringing an ESA to an academic space and a failure to follow guidelines set forth in the agreement may result in a violation or immediate removal of the animal.
It is highly recommended but not mandatory for students to register their Service Animal with the Office of Access and Learning Accommodation (OALA). By doing so, OALA can support students and faculty so that appropriate measures are taken for classroom spaces in order to remove potential barriers that would impact the ability for the service animal to perform their tasks or work. When a student voluntarily registers their service animal with OALA, they can be provided with a courtesy notice to professors or campus partners regarding the presence of their animal and how to best support the animal in carrying out their work and tasks. The student may choose, but is not required, to share the notice with members of the campus community.
Please note that service animals entering laboratories must be protected against hazardous chemicals and broken glass similar to students. Protective gear such as booties, a lab coat, or googles may be required. It is the owner's responsibility to provide and train their service animal to wear the required protective gear and to navigate their ability to perform or tasks within the lab. The owner assumes all responsibility for the safety of animal when entering the lab. If other accommodations, including priority seating or other needs, are necessary and must be provided to support the service animal, the student should reach out to OALA to receive formalized academic accommodations.
On rare occasions, there may be specific locations and activities on college property where all animals are prohibited for health and safety reasons. Such prohibited areas may include, but are not limited to, the following: Research and teaching laboratories, other research facilities or labs where the animal may compromise the integrity of research or equipment, certain clinical/sterile environments, certain food preparation areas, mechanical rooms or custodial closets, areas where there is a significant danger to the animal, etc.
Animal Owner/Handler Responsibilities
Both students with a Service Animal and ESA must agree to the Agreement and Responsibilities of Owners for Animals on Campus. In addition to this, students with ESAs must agree to the guidelines found within the OALA ESA Agreement. Owners will assume financial responsibility and liability for any physical harm done to a person or any property damages that occur as result of their animal. Should the animal be removed from the premises for any reason, the Owner/Handler is expected to pay for any associated costs to remove and care for the animal, including the need to fulfill their housing obligation for the remainder of their housing contract.
Any incidence of violations of any university policy and guidelines, including those listed in the agreements cites above may result in immediate removal of the animal from campus and, if appropriate, referral to the Student Conduct Administration. While not a typical scenario, if a Service Animal or Emotional Support Animal is banned from campus, the individual with a disability will have the right to engage in an interactive process to determine if effective participation can occur with other appropriate or alternative accommodations.